Froodee

Living. Blogging.

Faith follows Lewinsky, and Hillary’s happy

By

Bill Clinton should thank “Faith” – no, she’s not Monica Lewinsky’s replacement as his “under-the-table assistant!”

Because of “Faith,” Bill may soon return to the White House not as President but as the First US Gentleman, the husband of the new President – his wife Hillary Rodham Clinton.

In a rare public discussion of her husband’s infidelity, Hillary, the Democratic presidential frontrunner, said Monday she probably could not have gotten through her marital troubles without relying on her “faith in God.”

Clinton family spoof

Hillary stood by her actions in the aftermath of former President Bill Clinton’s admission that he had an affair, including presumably her decision to stay in the marriage.

“I am very grateful that I had a grounding in faith that gave me the courage and the strength to do what I thought was right, regardless of what the world thought,” Hillary said during a forum where the three leading Democratic presidential candidates talked about faith and values.

“I’m not sure I would have gotten through it without my faith,” she said.

One may ask: What does “faith in God” have to do with living with a husband who had an “under-the-table female motivator”?

Faith that every sin could be forgiven if the sinner is really contrite? Maybe.

Or faith that Bill would not really want to replace his wife with a fat woman with a big mouth who’s only good “under his desk”? More so perhaps!

This drink is more potent than Viagra

By

This news item may prove that too much of a good thing really could be bad — even for those who desperately need it!

A man has sued the maker of the health drink Boost Plus, claiming the vitamin-enriched beverage gave him an erection that would not subside and caused him to be hospitalized.

Prince Harry erection Oops, looks like Britain’s Prince Harry also took Boost Plus (inset) as shown by the bulge in his pants!

The lawsuit filed by Christopher Woods of New York said he bought the nutrition beverage made by the pharmaceutical company Novartis AG at a drugstore on June 5, 2004, and drank it.

Woods’ court papers say he woke up the next morning “with an erection that would not subside” and sought treatment that day for the condition, called severe priapism.

They say Woods, 29, underwent surgery for implantation of a Winter shunt, which moves blood from one area to another.

The lawsuit, filed late Monday, says Woods later had problems that required a hospital visit and penile artery embolization, a way of closing blood vessels. Closing off some blood flow prevents engorgement and lessens the likelihood of an erection.

Novartis’ Boost Plus Web site describes the drink as “a great tasting, high calorie, nutritionally complete oral supplement for people who require extra energy and protein in a limited volume,” in vanilla, chocolate and strawberry.

So guys, which flavor of Boost Plus do you want? Vanilla, choco or strawberry? Sorry for the ladies, no Boost Plus for women yet.

Harry Potter Theme Park

By

A Harry Potter theme park. Need I say more?

With the magical way the whole Harry Potter phenomenon took off more than nine years ago, it’s not surprising why big names are interested in dipping their hands on a large-scale project such as this. According to Deadline Hollywood Daily, negotiations have begun as early as 2005 between J.K. Rowling, Disney and Warner Bros. Now, it seems like Universal Studios has taken the place of Disney.

Ah, but enough of the business politics!

The theme park is said to be located at the Universal Orlando Resort, Florida and is set to be ready by 2009. So far, the closest manifestation of this theme park is the building of Alnwick Castle or Hogwarts. Wouldn’t it be a treat if they actually manage to re-create the moving staircases? Of course, it would probably be just for decoration as actual moving staircases are pretty dangerous, aren’t they?

As the rides and other Harry Potter attractions are inside Orlando’s Island of Adventures Theme Park, the project has been tagged as a theme park within a theme park. And while no new information has been released, I hope to see more than a couple of my favorite Harry Potter concepts there in the future!

For example, seeing a replica of book one’s HUGE chess board ought to be fun. The Mirror of Erised, the mirror that supposedly reveals your one true desire, will certainly prove to be interesting. Living portraits… Moaning Myrtle… Uh, maybe no Moaning Myrtle…

Harry Potter fans need not fear for the overall outcome. According to BBC News,

Oscar-winning production designer Stuart Craig, who has worked on the Harry Potter films, is leading the creative design for the park to ensure it remains faithful to JK Rowling’s vision.

“Our primary goal is to make sure this experience is an authentic extension of Harry Potter’s world as it is portrayed in the books and films,” he said Craig.

Check your toothpaste, quick!

By

Stop brushing your teeth! It’s dangerous!

But that’s true only if you’re using a toothpaste made in China.

The US government warned consumers on Friday to avoid using toothpaste made in China because it may contain a poisonous chemical used in antifreeze.

China toothpaste

Out of caution, the Food and Drug Administration said, people should throw away toothpaste with labeling that says it was made in China. The FDA is concerned that these products may contain diethylene glycol.

The alert specified some the brands that consumers should not buy: Mr. Cool, Cooldent Fluoride, Cooldent Spearmint and Cooldent ICE. Analysis of the products revealed they contained between 3 percent and 4 percent DEG.

To be sure, just don’t buy any toothpaste with Chinese characters on the label, or those with misspelled names.

Yes, one may have the whitest teeth and the freshest breath in the world using these Chinese toothpastes. But who cares, who will notice that if the guy is already in the emergency ward of a hospital … or in the morgue?

Officials said they are primarily concerned about toothpaste sold at bargain retail outlets. The ingredient in question, called DEG, is used as a lower-cost sweetener and thickening agent. The highest concentration of the chemical found in toothpaste so far was between 3 percent and 4 percent of the product’s overall weight.

“It does not belong in toothpaste even in small concentrations,” said the FDA’s Deborah M. Autor.

Oops, beware of sweet and thick toothpaste then! Just stick with the well known brands.

But then, these well known brands keep changing their shape, color, labeling and formula. The makers of these toothpaste seem to think that consumers like us want a new toothpaste product every day, that’s why they keep changing those tubes.

It would not be surprising if one of these days there will be an ad announcing the arrival of a toothpaste that will not only clean, whiten and give sparkle to your teeth and freshen your breath but also make you smell good, make you look younger and like a billionaire and a movie star as well!

Let’s cross our fingers that “ideal” toothpaste would not come from China.

A bonanza of new ‘Earths’

By

Now, you have at least 28 new planets to choose from in case you feel like life is dragging you too much down on Earth. Actually there are 236 to choose from, including the old ones.

Planet-seekers have spotted 28 new planets orbiting other stars in the past year. They say Earth’s solar system is far from unique and there could be billions of habitable planets.

new planet
An artist’s rendering of the planet orbiting the star Gliese 436. 

The most recent planet discoveries bring the number of known exoplanets — planets outside our solar system — to 236, the researchers told a meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Honolulu on Monday.

“We are beginning to see that our home is not a rarity in the universe,” said Geoffrey Marcy, a professor of astronomy at the University of California Berkeley, who led the team.

“We are easily able to detect giant planets like Jupiter and Saturn around other stars. Most orbit far from the star like our own Jupiter and Saturn orbit from the sun,” Marcy said. “It’s a common structure among planetary systems.”

OK, are you packing your bags now?